


The Meeting

by NikkiK



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-28 16:10:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19815796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikkiK/pseuds/NikkiK
Summary: This takes place during the Queens of Darkness era.  An added scene between Emma and Regina after Regina infiltrated the Queens of Darkness and snuck out to meet Snow, David, Emma and Hook at the Library.    Story better than the summary!





	The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing...just borrowing a few of my favorite characters!
> 
> Some dialogue taken from the show...no copyright infringement intended...used just for authenticity. 
> 
> As always... please enjoy and drop me a line to tell me what you think!

The Meeting 

Regina leaned against the wall behind the shelves of books, her mind churning as she waited for Snow and Charming to arrive. The library was eerily quiet this time of night, which is one of the more obvious reasons they’d chosen to meet here. It was risky meeting at all. Her sneaking away was bound to arouse the witch’s suspicions sooner or later. As if they weren’t already suspicious of her enough. Sighing, Regina rubbed her temple, knowing that it was a chance she was going to have to take if she wanted to keep the others informed of the progress she was making infiltrating the Queens of Darkness.

Finally, after another long minute, Regina heard the door open but didn’t move until she heard Snow whisper her name. Stepping out from behind the wall of books, her eyes widened in annoyance. Not only had Snow and Charming brought Emma of all people, but also the resident lap dog as well. Regina gritted her teeth. What part of discreet did they not understand? Before she could open her mouth to condemn their idiocy and berate them for bringing along Hook, who was a useless waste of brain matter, Snow held up her hands.

“We can trust him, Regina.”

Swallowing her irritation, she snorted in disbelief. However, knowing that time was not on her side, she explained to them as quickly as she could what she knew about their plans. It came as no surprise to her that Emma objected. She had expected no less as Emma had more to be upset with her about then just the fact that she was kept out of the loop. 

“I’m telling you…these things never end well.”

Regina fought the urge to release a loud sigh as she steeled herself to face Emma Swan. She hadn’t expected the young woman to be with her parents at their rendezvous tonight, let alone the pirate who always seem to be lurking around her. Irritation flared up inside of her again at the sight of him but now was not the time so she forced herself to calm down. She could feel Emma’s gaze on her; those clear green eyes silently begging her to walk away from this. 

Keeping her voice as neutral as possible, she said, “I understand your concern but…I’m in.”

It was more than a little exciting to be able to say those words to the group standing in front of her. Despite Mary Margaret’s and David’s doubts after the first night she’d spent in the company of the dark Queens, it was exhilarating to share that she’d been able to convince the villains that she was once again one of them. 

“Okay, well then I’m in too.”

It took her a moment to realize that it was Emma who was talking. 

“What?” Regina said sharply.

“I’m going to stick by you and have your back while you do this.” Emma continued, unperturbed by the other woman’s outburst.

Regina shook her head. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

“I said I was a part of Operation Mongoose, I’m a part of it. You wanted my help, now you’re going to get it no matter what it means for both of us. Whatever she’s planned tonight, I’ll be there.”

Their gazes locked and held until Regina finally relented. “Fine, but if they see you…”

“They won’t.”

“Right then,” Mary Margaret said nervously trying to dissipate the tension mounting between the two women. “Regina, you should probably get going.”

Tearing her gaze from Emma, the brunette jerked her head in agreement. “I’ll get back to you when I have something more to report,” she said shortly.

Just as Regina was about to lift her hand, Emma stepped forward, calling out to her. “Regina, wait. I want to talk to you. Alone,” she added.

Mary Margaret stepped forward, shooting a wary glance over at Regina. “Emma, we really should let Regina get back to the others before she’s missed.”

The blond ignored her. “Regina.”

It was the tone that said, ‘you owe me this’ that had the brunette agreeing despite her reservations. Stepping away from the group, she turned and headed behind the bookcase, expecting Emma to follow. Once safely out of earshot of the others, she spoke, hoping to take charge of this conversation before it could lead into unsafe territory. 

“Ms. Swan, please know if you’re going to try to talk me out of this than you are wasting your breath and valuable time. However, if you, yourself, have had a change of heart about following me tonight, then I think that is a wise decision.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “I didn’t want to talk to you alone so I could talk you out of it. Nor,” she continued when Regina went to speak, “did I change my mind about being your back-up tonight. I am not letting you do this alone.”

Regina sighed quietly. “Emma…”

“I wanted to talk to you about Maleficent,” Emma blurted.

Blinking in surprise, the brunette asked. “What about her?”

“How are…how are things going? With the two of you, I mean?”

Regina raised a brow and chuckled darkly. “Considering she hasn’t tried to kill me yet for locking her up as a dragon for thirty years, I think they’re going fairly well. But I already told you, I’m in. They still have their suspicions but…”

Emma shook her head impatiently. “That’s not what I’m asking.”

The dark haired woman narrowed her eyes. “Then what exactly are you asking, dear?”

The young woman fidgeted and looked away as she said, “Look, I know this isn’t the right time for this. I just…” she stopped and swore under her breath. “You told me once that you and she were…close…really close…and you…well you… broke it off with me and I…I just wanted to know…” 

The older woman frowned in concern. “You wanted to know what?” Emerald eyes glanced up at her and Regina could see the hesitation and the uncertainty in them. Her eyes widened as realization dawned. “You want to know if Maleficent is the reason I broke it off with you,” Regina concluded answering her own question. “Are you…jealous…of Maleficent?” the brunette whispered in disbelief.

Emma sighed and stared up at the woman between lowered lashes. “Should I be?” she asked quietly.

Regina closed the distance between them, putting her finger under Emma’s chin to hold her gaze. “No. Emma…no,” she assured gently. “There has been nothing between Mal and me, of that nature, for decades and there never will be.” Anxious brown eyes searched green. “Please tell me you believe me.”

“Does it matter?” the blonde snapped.

“Of course, it does. Emma…”

Emma forced a small smile. “No. I believe you. I’m sorry. I’m just being paranoid. You should get going.”

It was true. She’d been gone far longer than she should have been. It was going to be difficult to explain her whereabouts. Looking at the crestfallen face of the woman before her, she knew she couldn’t leave it like this. She reached out and grabbed the leather clad arm before she could turn away. “Emma, wait, don’t leave like this. Look, I know that we decided not to pursue a relationship between us right now…”

“No,” Emma interrupted, the sharpness in her voice causing the group waiting by the door to look over in concern. Lowering her voice, she continued. “You decided and I agreed because I didn’t want to fight with you. Hiding what I feel for you is torture, Regina. Do you have any idea how badly I want to kiss you right now?”

“You’re not alone in how you feel, Emma. You have to know that. I know this situation is difficult…”

Emma snorted. “That’s an understatement.”

“What do you want me to do, Emma? I can’t worry about you while I’m trying to infiltrate their group. I still don’t know what they’re hiding or what they expect me to do tonight.”

“You know what I want you to do,” said the blond, staring hard at the other woman.

“I’m not pulling out. I can’t. Not now.”

“So what, you expect me to wait on the sidelines like some dutiful lapdog for you to throw me a bone?”

Regina jerked. The anger in the younger woman’s voice shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did. What was she expecting? Emma hadn’t signed up for this when they’d confessed their feelings to each other. After Snow had come to her to ask her to go undercover to find out what the other witches were up to, she knew anything more between her and the savior would have to be put on hold. After she’d agreed to Snow’s plan, she’d gone to see Emma, explained the situation-well as much as she could- and ended their romance before it even started. They had no idea what the witches were up too or how long it would take to figure it out. She couldn’t expect Emma to wait for her. It was unfair to ask her too. 

Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, trying to dislodge the knot that was currently twisting her insides at the words she was about to utter. Straightening, her voice flat, she peered steadily into those beautiful green eyes. “No. I don’t expect you to do any such thing, Miss Swan.” Her gaze flickered over to where the others were waiting, her eyes zeroing in on one in particular, a familiar sense of loathing rising within her at the sight of him. “I know you have other options.” 

She saw it, fury, hot and swift, flared up inside the blond. Before the older woman knew what was happening, Emma grabbed her arms and forced her hard against the wall. Eyes narrowed dangerously, she leaned into the dark haired woman her voice cold and furious. “First of all, cut the “Miss Swan” crap. I’m not going to let you distance yourself from me so you can go back to hiding behind those impossibly high walls of yours. Secondly, “she continued, pressing her body closer, keeping the other woman pinned in place, “don’t you dare dismiss my feelings like that again. Killian is a friend and you know that.”

Regina gulped, her own anger rising as she pushed against the blond. “Does he know that?”

“Yes,” she hissed, “he does. But even if he didn’t, you should trust me and my feelings for you.”

Regina sneered. “Like you trusted mine? Or have you so quickly forgotten what started this little tête-à-tête?

“I wasn’t the one who broke it off”, Emma countered, her eyes flashing dangerously. “You and _Mal_ ,” she said derisively emphasizing the nickname the other woman had used earlier, “share a past, a tumultuous one, I give you that, but then there’s a thin line between love and hate, isn’t there Regina?” she asked pointedly, her tone a mocking reminder of their own tenuous beginning. “There has never been anything between Killian and I except friendship and that’s all there will be.

“But, you’re right,” Emma acknowledged grudgingly, releasing her grip on the brunette as her anger faded away, “we need to trust each other, especially now”. 

Sagging at the sudden freedom, missing the weight of Emma’s body against hers, Regina tugged on her coat, her throat tight as she watched the turmoil in her almost lover’s expressive eyes. She ached for what they could’ve been, what they almost were. But they couldn’t be together, not while she was in the middle of this. She would not put Emma in danger because her libido was out of control.“Emma, don’t…”

“Then don’t look at me like that.”

Regina could say no more as hungry lips captured her own, the kiss bruising and demanding. Regina whimpered at the assault, gripping the lapels of Emma’s jacket to push the woman away, only to cling to her desperately as the other woman kissed her senselessly, possessively, using her tongue and teeth to drive her to the brink. Lips parted, tongues roamed free, tasting, dueling, retreating only to plunge back in to do it over again. Emma pressed her body firmly into Regina’s and heat soared between them. Regina moaned deep or maybe it was Emma, she couldn’t really be sure with the blood roaring in her ears. She wanted to be closer, to feel her skin beneath her fingertips, to run her tongue along every curve in the younger woman’s body, she wanted…. no. Luckily the need to breath, forced them apart. Panting hard, their faces flushed, the two women leaned their foreheads together, not wanting to completely part. 

“Emma,” Regina gasped, her voice strained with the effort to talk and breathe, “we can’t do this.”

“I know.”

“Your parents or Killian could walk back here at any minute.”

“I know.”

Slender, olive-toned fingers lifted to caress a flush cheek. “I’m sorry.”

There was a pause, a sigh, and then a quiet. “I know,” that nearly made Regina weep at the sorrow she could hear in those two simple words.

Closing her eyes, the brunette took a deep breath. When she opened them, tears shimmered in their depths. “I have to…” she stopped, clearing her throat “…I have to go. I’ve been away too long,” she whispered into the stillness that encompassed them.

Emma nodded, saying nothing as she took a deep shuttering breath before backing away from her queen. Regina missed the warmth immediately. Green eyes sought out brown, met and held as a conversation took place that needed no words. They stayed that way for a long moment, each caught up in the memory of the kiss, committing the taste of one another to memory until they could do it again; neither knowing exactly when that might be. The faint sound of footsteps jarred them from their trance, reminding them that their time was up.

“This isn’t over.”

This time is was the brunette’s turn to whisper, “I know.”

“Take care of my Queen.”

Regina smiled. “Take care of my cop,” she said quoting a favorite book of hers that Emma had let her borrow one evening. Her smile fell, a worried frown taking its place as she grasped Emma’s hand, seeking that last little bit of contact. “Promise me you’ll stay out of sight tonight.”

“I promise,” murmured Emma squeezing the older woman’s hand in return. They shared a look as the footsteps got closer, Killian’s footsteps, Emma realized. And by the time he rounded the shelves to where they were standing, the Queen was gone.


End file.
